Largest OFW repatriates from Israel arrive in Phl

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) welcomed sixty (60) overseas Filipino workers (OFW) from Israel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Thursday 09 May 2024.

It is the 21st repatriation of the government and currently the largest repatriation group of OFWs that have availed the government’s voluntary repatriation program since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in 2023.

According to DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, the agency has brought home a total of 666 Filipinos from Israel which accounts for 555 caregivers and 111 hotel workers.

"This is the 21st batch from Israel, this brings to a total of 666 repatriates with the Lebanon, West Bank and Gaza repatriates, 205 from Lebanon and, 6 from the West Bank and 2 from Gaza, that brings us to a total of 879 since 7 October [2023]," Cacdac said in a press briefing.

"We have kept the service of providing repatriation for free for OFWs from the four places mentioned… in light of the state of war as declared by the State of Israel against Hamas and we continue to provide this service as we understand the situation on the ground," Cacdac added.

On the way to the Philippines, the group layed over in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Originally, 61 OFWs were en route to the Philippines but one repatriate fell ill and remained in Abu Dhabi.

The Philippine embassy and the Migrant Workers Office in UAE immediately brought her to the hospital for treatment and observation.

The DMW said she will continue her travel back to the Philippines once the doctors clear her for travel.

Upon arrival in Manila, the OFWs received assistance packages including on-site medical and physical check-ups from the Department of Health (DOH).

DOH said the Filipinos who have arrived are well.

The health department also offered free private rooms in all DOH hospitals in case they would be needing checkups and medical tests.

Meanwhile, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) have assured that all of their services are available to the repatriates.

The DMW and OWWA have offered financial support totaling P100,000.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have offered livelihood aid amounting to P20,000 and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) offered P5,000.

TESDA also offered free skills training vouchers to OFWs for any available courses offered by the department.

Two Filipinos from Israel shared their experiences in the country before going home.

Teresita Dagdag has worked in Israel for 19 years, however, 3 years ago, a rocket fell on her workplace which prompted her to sign up for repatriation.

Irene Pelagio, on the other hand, decided to go home after 18 years in Israel due to fear and anxiety caused by sirens warning of an imminent rocket attack.

"Naisipan ko umuwi kasi dahil sa takot, sa totoo lang ang bansang israel, there's no other place like israel, ang ganda ng sa sakop ng pasyente, pero ang sitwasyon dito sa giyera ... iba na kasi ibang iba na (I thought of going home because of fear, in reality the country of Israel, there's no other place like Israel, the coverage of ​​Patient care is beautiful, but the situation here and the war... it's different)," Irene Pelagio said.

Pelagio explained that Israel's Iron Dome have protected the country from rockets but the latest attack caused her fear and anxiety which urged her to go home.

She added that the Philippine embassy in Tel Aviv have reminded Filipinos to always have their emergency bags ready in case of evacuation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) placed Israel on alert level 2 in October 2023 which restricted deployment of Filipinos in the country, Cacdac said repatriations are not yet mandatory but the option is still being offered by the government due to the current situation in the region.